SWEET CHILD OF MINE
by babywillow
Summary: This story was written before the episode "family" aired. The scoobies discover the truth about Tara.


  
Author: Babywillow   
Disclaimer: all the characters in Buffy the vampire slayer  
belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant enemy, and the WB.  
Summery: the story takes place in the beginning of season 5.  
My point of view on who Tara really is.  
This story was written before the episode "family" aired.  
Feedback: any time...   
E-mail: babywillow@caramail.com   
Authors note: my story is written as a script. Enjoy...  
  
  
TEASER  
  
It's night in Sunnydale park.   
Xander falls to the ground near Willow and Anya who are talking, not paying attention to the fight.   
Buffy throws a vampire and hits him very hard on the face.   
Xander manage to get up and hide himself behind the girls.   
Xander: "all right, that's it! I've done my part for tonight."   
Anya takes Willow's hand.   
Anya: "and she's been acting this way since when?"   
Willow: "it all started two days ago, when she received a letter. Since then she's been acting kind of...weird."   
Xander tries to get Anya's attention and puts his head on her shoulder. She hugs him.   
Anya: "honey, what happened? Did the big bad vampire hurt you?"   
Xander nods and smiles. Willow and Anya turn to see Buffy beating the crap out of him.   
Willow: "he's not very big"  
Anya: "and not very scary." She pushes Xander away. "Since when did you become such a baby? "  
Xander: "hey!"   
Buffy stakes him and he turns into dust.   
Buffy: "ready to go home?"   
Everybody gets up and they start walking. Xander is following them, still hurt obviously by what the girls said.   
The guys are laughing at him.   
Xander: "yeah right, I could have stake him if I wanted to..."  
He looks aside, into a dark alley and sees Tara talking to a forty years old man who pulls her back gently. She looks sad and it seems that the guy made her cry. The man leaves her and she starts crying out loud. Xander is about to call the other who didn't notice anything and walked away, but then Tara sees him.   
She looks at him with fear.   
Xander stops her.   
Xander: "Tara..."   
Tara: "please don't tell anyone."   
Xander nods as she walks away and disappears into the night.   
  
  
Opening credits   
Part 1  
  
Giles' apartment. Everybody is listening to Giles talking about the new vamp activity. Buffy is half-asleep on Riley's shoulder. Xander is staring at Tara who looks the other way.   
Giles: "ok. I guess that's it. Anya, I need your help for my new book of incantations. I have some problems with the translation. Buffy, take Xander and Riley with you to patrol."   
Anya: "wait a minute! Since when did I become Willow!"   
Everybody turns to her.   
Willow: "hey!"   
Anya: " Books gives me allergies... most of the time."   
Everyone is still looking.   
Anya: "what?!"   
They all leave. Tara tries to get out fast but Willow and Xander runs to her.   
Willow: "Tara, where were you last night? I came looking for you after patrol."   
Tara: "I had stuff to do..."  
Willow: "wanna come to my place tonight...try some new magic stuff I saw in Giles new book. Oh! I read that we can turn all kind of things into chocolate." Tara smiles slightly.   
Tara: "sorry, I can't. I have tones of homework, you know."   
Willow nods and Tara starts walking away.   
Willow: "Xander, wanna hang out?"   
Xander: "sorry, patrol with Buffy and Rambo over there."   
Willow is left alone.   
Willow: "right, then I'll do stuff of my own..." she sulks and leaves.   
Xander runs to Tara.   
Xander: "can we speak now, about yesterday?"   
Tara: "I don't want to talk about that Xander." She starts walking faster and so does Xander.   
Xander: "who was the old guy? A boyfriend?"   
Tara stops to face him and grins.   
Xander: "obviously not." They start walking again.   
Xander: "listen, I just wanna help you here, maybe there is something I can do."   
He looks around. They are near the bronze but the place is deserted and it's very dark.   
Xander: "I think we should find Buffy, there's something weird going on here..."  
Suddenly a vampire grabs him from behind and throws him against a wall. He is very tall, with blond hair. Tara steps back as he comes her way. An whole bunch of vampires are circling them now. The tall one approaches them slowly. Tara looks at Xander who is lying hurt on the ground.   
As the vampire is going to grab her she lifts her right hand and her eyes turns red. She starts to speak in Latin. The vampire raises in the air as all the others look at him in terror. Tara lowers her hand suddenly and it makes him fall very hard on the ground. He gets up and run away, followed by the others.   
Xander is in shock. He stares at her as she helps him getting up.   
Xander: "Ok! What was that? Cause it was not some funny little hobby witchcraft. It was more like scary evil witch kind of thing. Is Willow into that too?"   
Tara can't look him in the eyes.   
Xander: "I didn't think so."   
He takes her hand and drags her into the Bronze.   
Xander:" Come on, Sabrina, we have some things to talk about."   
A man who was hiding behind a wall and saw everything comes out and walks slowly toward the club. As he comes to the light, we can see his face. It's Ethan Rayne.   
  
Giles apartment. Anya is standing next to Giles and she looks really exited.   
Anya: " I never knew this one. So, if I want to send someone to hell, I just say what's here and poof, he's gone?"   
Giles looks at her, a little scared, and closes the book to her face.   
Giles: "ok. We're done here."   
Willow enters as Anya takes her bag to leave.   
Anya whispers:" I knew it was gonna work"  
Willow: "going home?"   
Anya: "yeah, gonna see if Xander is still alive cause I'm kind in the mood for…"  
Giles: "Good night Anya!"   
Willow grins and goes to seat next to Giles.   
Willow: "so, anything interesting?"   
Giles: "yes, in fact. Look at this part here. How to cut someone in half…of course some of those things are really dangerous, and not to be handle by anyone like, let's say, an ex demon."   
He turns to face her. Willow looks pretty sad.   
Giles: "what's the matter?"   
Willow: "problems with Tara ."   
Giles takes off his glasses.   
Giles:" What happened?"   
Willow:" She's been distant for the past few days. I thinks she's having problems and she won't even talk to me about it."   
  
Cut to the bronze.   
Tara: "I can't talk about this with Willow. I would die if she knew. Xander, i…I'm not like any of you." Xander who's seating next to her backs off a little. Then, with a huge fake smile:   
Xander: "in what way?"   
Tara: "I came to Sunnydale almost two years ago. My...mom was very sick. That's why she sent me to find my father."   
Xander: "your father?"   
Tara: " I never saw him. In fact…he doesn't even know about me. All my mother told me is that he was living now in Sunnydale. So, I started to look for him but it's not that easy when you don't even know how he looks like."   
Xander: "you don't have to feel different because of that. My parents are worse. They yell at each other all day!"   
He comes closer to her.   
Xander: "so, that guy yesterday?"   
Tara: " I was pretty sure that he was the one. I followed him for weeks. I feel so stupid."   
Xander: "we'll help you, I'm sure everyone..."  
Tara: "no! You can't." Tara is about to cry.   
Ethan is seating at a table close to them, listening to the conversation.   
Tara: "I'll have to leave Sunnydale."   
Xander: "and your father?"   
Tara: "he probably left town, or maybe he's already dead."   
Xander: "and what if he's not?"   
Tara: "I'm not even sure he could do anything to help me anyway."   
She gets up and walk away. Xander stares at her but doesn't follow.   
Ethan is no longer in the bronze.   
  
  
Part 2  
  
Tara is on her way home. She hears steps and starts walking faster. She turns around and as she is about to scream a hand grabs her and pulls her out of the way. Ethan smiles at her.   
Ethan: " I'm here to help you."   
Tara breathes deeply. She looks at him still terrified.   
Tara: "who are you?"   
Ethan: "a friend of your mother."   
Tara stares in disbelief. She starts to walk away and Ethan doesn't stop her.   
Ethan: "don't you want to know who I am?"   
Tara: "not really."   
Ethan: "I'm your father, Tara."   
Tara turns to face him. She looks at him in shock.   
Tara: "I don't believe you."   
Ethan approaches her slowly.   
Ethan: "her name is Dora, also known as Caspathia, daughter of Vespathia, witch of two sins, anger and thievery.   
When the head of the council killed your grand mother, it was your mother who got all her powers. Two years ago, she almost died when she fought a locus demon. That's why she sent you here. She knows that she won't survive for long and that you are gonna take her place. You will become the new witch..."  
Tara: "I'll never be like her. I'll never kill anyone."   
Ethan: "you have no choice, it's your destiny."   
Tara is crying.   
Tara: "how did you know who I am?"   
Ethan: "you look like her."   
He approaches and caresses her face.   
Ethan: "I met your mother before she became a witch. When I heard she was half a demon, I couldn't stay."   
Tara: "you knew about me?"   
Ethan: "no. I received a letter from her a few weeks ago. She wants me to help you."   
Ethan looks at her and comes to hug her.   
Ethan: " Tara, From now on, you're not alone."   
Ethan smiles at her.   
Ethan: "but first, we will have to deal with the men who killed your grand mother."   
Tara looks confused.   
  
Cut to Xander's apartment.   
Anya is curling Xander's hair with her finger. When Willow appears at the door, he gets up quickly and jumps on her.   
Xander: "we have to talk."   
Anya sulks and starts eating a bowl full of popcorns.   
Xander and Willow are sitting in front of the house.   
Xander: "did you notice that Tara was acting kind of weird lately?"   
Willow: "oh, you noticed that too?"   
Xander: "I think you should try to talk to her."   
Xander sees Tara arriving and stops talking.   
Willow walks to her and hugs her.   
Willow: "Tara, where were you? I was looking for you all morning."   
Tara turns to Xander and whispers to him with a smile.   
Tara: "I was with my father."   
  
Cut to the magic shop.   
Giles is organizing some items when Ethan appears at the door. Giles stares at him in anger.   
Giles: "what the hell are you doing here? I thought the innitiative…"  
Ethan: "oh, come on. As if those losers would be able to stop me."   
Ethan laughs  
Ethan: "I came for my revenge, Ripper."   
Ethan walks in the shop slowly. He looks very pleased.   
Ethan: "I was searching for a way to make you pay for every incident we had in the past, and you know what?   
It came to me last night like a present… from hell."   
Giles wants to hit him but Ethan stops him with his hand.   
Ethan: "what would be more pleasant than to see you get killed by your own…flesh and blood."   
Giles stares at him, confused.   
Ethan: "you do remember Dora, aren't you, Ripper?"   
Giles is in shock.   
Ethan: "of course after you helped killing her mother, she wasn't too anxious to tell you that she was having a little baby girl."   
Giles seats down. He puts his hands on his face.   
Ethan: "I met her yesterday. She's an angel, very sweet. All I had to do is tell her all I knew about her mother, and voila! You see... she thinks I'm her father."   
Giles gets up, angry.   
Giles: "what the hell do you think you're doing? She'll never buy that! Not if I have something to do with it."   
Ethan: "it's too late, my friend. She believes me, and she wants to revenge her grand mother's death." Giles: "you were there too, Ethan."   
Ethan: "so what! Her mother is dying and guess who will get all her powers."   
Giles grabs him by his shirt.   
Giles: "who is she?"   
Ethan smiles in contempt. Giles hits him until he falls to the ground.   
Ethan gets up to leave.   
Giles: "she's been right under your nose. But you'll know soon enough."   
Ethan disappears from the shop. Giles grabs his jacket and walks out.   
  
  
Part 3  
  
Back to Xander's apartment.   
Buffy is sitting next to Riley and Xander.   
Buffy:" Ditcher, where were you last night? I thought you were supposed to help us out."   
Xander giggles and looks at Tara who is uncomfortable. Willow notices that, and looks hurt.   
Xander: "I had stuffs to do..."  
Anya: "and you didn't think of coming to get me out of the boring librarian's house?!"   
Tara looks at Willow who gets up to the kitchen. She follows her.   
Buffy watches them leave.   
Buffy: "what's going on? Troubles in paradise?"   
Xander stops laughing and stares at the closed kitchen door.   
Tara: "Willow..."  
Willow: "what's going on, Tara? You were with Xander last night?"   
Tara: "yes. But it's not what you think."   
Willow seats down and looks at the floor.   
Tara: "I wasn't feeling well, Willow. He just happened to be there. So we talked. That's all."   
Willow: "no, that's not all. Why can you speak with him and not me? I thought we were soul mates." Tara kneels next to her.   
Tara: "we are." She kisses her forehead. They stare at each other in silence.   
Tara: "Willow...I'm a witch."   
Willow: "I know that, silly..."  
Tara: "no i mean, I'm a real witch, or soon to be. My mother is a some kind of a demon." Willow grins.   
Tara: "I was afraid to tell you. I don't want to lose you. I came here looking for my father, so he could help me deal with the whole thing. And... I found him, last night."   
Willow doesn't know how to react.   
Tara: "he's gonna take me with him."   
Willow: "you're leaving?"   
Tara: "but I'll be back."   
Willow takes her in her arms.   
Tara: "I promised him something first."   
Tara gets up.   
Tara: "I have to go see him. We'll talk later?"   
Willow nods. Tara walks out of the apartment.   
Willow goes back to the living room.   
Buffy: "everything ok?"   
Willow: "yeah."   
She comes to seat next to Xander, and punches his shoulder very hard.   
Xander: "hey!"   
There is "Interview with a vampire" on TV. Everyone is watching.   
Buffy: "I'm not sure I would mind being bitten by Brad Pitt."   
Anya: "yeah, he is yummy."   
Giles enters the apartment. He takes off his jacket and looks around. Buffy stares at him, and grins.   
Buffy: "lost something?"   
Giles observes every one of them a weird look on his face.   
Xander whispers: "oh, i think he really lost it this time."   
Giles comes to seat next to Willow who stares at him, worried.   
Willow: "Giles..."  
Giles: "where is Tara?"   
  
Cut to Willie's bar. The place is full of demons.   
Tara: "why did you wanted us to meet here?"   
Ethan: "you don't have to fear them, honey. You are stronger. And anyway, this is your new world." Tara is hurt by what he said.   
Ethan:" we need to discuss the little revenge. We will have to do it tonight."   
Tara: "how come the man who killed her is here, in Sunnydale?"   
Ethan: "he leaves here. Now, Tara, sweet heart, I know it's gonna be a shock for you, but you have to know that the man who killed your grand mother is someone that pretends to be your friend."   
Tara stares at him.   
Ethan:" it's Ruppert Giles."   
Tara: "Giles?"   
Ethan: "he was at the head of the council almost 20 years ago. He was the one who used the incantation that killed her."   
Tara gets up to leave.   
Tara: "I don't believe you. I don't even know why I believed you in the first place."   
Ethan: "ask him."   
Tara turns to look at him and then leaves.   
  
  
Part 4  
  
Giles is on the phone.   
Giles:" it's Ruppert Giles. Yes, well could you please check out for me what's her condition. Yes, well, I know she is dying but if there's any change…thanks, I would really appreciate that."   
Giles is sitting in his living room. He seems lost in his thoughts. There is a knocking on the door.   
He gets up to answer and find Tara.   
Giles: "Tara."   
Tara just looks at him, she looks totally lost.   
Giles: "come in."   
She enters and looks around.   
Giles: "I think we have to talk."   
Tara: "did you kill my grand mother?"   
Giles doesn't know how to answer. Tara takes it for a yes.   
She starts crying.   
Tara: "so my father was right."   
Giles: "he's not your father."   
Ethan: "of course I am."   
Ethan comes in and stands right behind Tara.   
Ethan:" I told you, honey... you know what to do."   
Tara breathes deeply.   
Ethan: "he killed her and he would kill your mother too if he had the chance." Tara's eyes turn red.   
Giles looks in shock.   
Giles: "Tara, you know me. You'll have to trust me. What I did, I had no choice."   
Ethan: " it's time to pay, Ripper."   
Tara stares at Giles in pain. She lifts her hands and approaches Giles.   
Giles: "Tara, he's not your father" he reaches out for her hand.   
Giles: "I am."   
Ethan: "oh, don't listen to him He would say anything to make you believe. But you know better. Let your anger take over your feelings, Tara."   
Tara is standing in the middle of the room between Giles and Ethan.   
She feels possessed.   
Giles: "Tara, don't listen to his voice. Think of your friends, think of Willow."   
Ethan: "now, Tara, kill him."   
Her eyes keep turning red and a red smoke comes out of her hands as she stretching them toward Giles.   
Ethan comes closer and whispers in her hear with a smile.   
Ethan: "destroy him!"   
Suddenly Tara turns and faces Ethan. She puts her hands on his shoulders as he starts to scream. The red smoke envelops him and it throws Giles to the floor. Tara can't hardly breath as Ethan is slowly disintegrated.   
Ethan is gone and the smoke disappeared as well. Tara falls to the ground, unconscious.   
Giles runs to her.   
  
Cut to later. Everybody is sitting in the living room. Willow closes a door behind her and comes to join the others.   
Willow: "she is awake. She is asking for you, Giles."   
Giles nods and goes to the room.   
Buffy: "I can't believe Giles didn't even know about having a daughter."   
Xander: "he must feel weird."   
Willow: "poor Tara. She's been through so much."   
Anya: "yeah, as if it wasn't enough to discover that your father is Giles...old boring, unemployed Giles."   
Buffy whispers: "I wouldn't mind having him as a father."   
Xander: "me too."   
Willow: "yeah..."  
They all nod thoughtfully.   
Anya, after reflection.   
Anya: "yeah, whatever."   
  
Giles enters the room where Tara is lying under a blanket.   
Giles: "feeling better?"   
Tara: "yeah...Giles, I'm sorry..."  
Giles: "sh.. you have nothing to be sorry about."   
He observes her.   
Tara: "are you really my father?"   
Giles: "I met your mother when I was promoted to head of the conceal. I was madly in love. My first mission was to kill a witch who had destroy an entire town. After she was dead, your mother rejected me. I didn't knew then. Tara, I wish I had knew about you."   
Tara straightens up a little to hug him.   
Tara: "I wish you did."   
She takes his hand.   
Tara: "when she'll die, I'm gonna get all her powers. I don't want them. I don't want to fight."   
Giles caresses her hair.   
Giles: "we will find a way."   
He puts the blanket back on her and comes to leave.   
Giles: "rest now."   
Tara nods.   
Giles gets out of the room and closes the door.   
A bright yellow light starts flowing around Tara who has fallen asleep.   
Buffy comes to Giles.   
Buffy: "some guy on the phone for you."   
Giles runs to the phone.   
Giles: "yes. Yes it's me."   
He listens as his head falls down slowly.   
Giles: "thank you."   
He hangs up. He turns to look at the room where Tara is sleeping peacefully.   
Close up on Tara's face.   
Fade to black.   
  



End file.
